Screened roof gutter



June 13, 1961 c. w. CAMPBELL SCREENED ROOF GUTTER Filed June 3. 1955 lnk INVENTEJR. 6714 m. as m (A M raeu United States Patent ()fice2,988,22G Patented June 13, 1961 2,988,226 SCREENED ROOF GUTTER CharlesW. Campbell, 1997 Her-tel Ave., Buffalo 14, N.Y.,

assignor of one-half to William F. Matthews, Kenmore, N.Y.

Filed June 3, 1955, Ser. No. 512,993 2 Claims. (Cl. 210-474) Thisinvention relates generally to the gutter art, and more'particularly toa new and useful roof gutter and drain.

Roof gutters of the conventional type are formed of galvanized steel insections which are soldered together, the assembled gutter being held byhanger type fastenings which are secured to the roof as by nails orscrews. Such gutters do not weather well and tend to deterioraterelatively rapidly", with the result that unless they receiveconsiderable maintenance care they rustthrough and discolor the adjacentportions of the house to which they are attached. Also, such gutters aremerely open channels which tend to become clogged by wet leaves and thelike. In addition, such gutters are not particularly strong and if forexample a ladder is leaned thereagainst, to provide access to the roof,the gutter is apt to be crimped and bent thereby.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of my invention to provide a gutterhaving excellent weathering characteristics, and which will withstandexposure to the elements without rusting and/ or discoloring and willresist deterioration of any kind.

It is also an object of my invention to provide a gutter of substantialstrength including substantial compressive strength so as to withstandthe weight of a ladder leaned thereagainst as well as accidental blows.

In addition, a particularly important object of my invention is toprovide a roof gutter having protective screen means which will avoidclogging thereof by leaves and the like.

Another object of my invention is to provide a gutter which is readilyformed into sections which are in turn readily assembled and installed;

Still another object of my invention is to provide a roof gutter whichdoes not require the use of nails, spikes or other mechanical fasteningmeans of any kind.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a roof gutter whichcan be made in substantially any color and which is not subject to colorfading upon'continued exposure to the elements.

A roof gutter according to my invention is characterized in one'aspectthereof by the provision of an integral generally channel-shaped troughportion of a plastic material such as a fiberglass reinforced polyesterresin.

In accord with another aspect thereof a roof gutter according to myinvention is characterized by the provision of trough-like sections ofan internally reinforced thermosetting plastic material, the sectionsbeing cemented together in end-to-end relation and the assembledsections being cemented to the facia board or like part of the building.

In still another aspect thereof, a roof gutter according to my inventionis characterized by the provision of a generally channel-shaped troughportion, and a protective screen portion extending across the top of thetrough portion, the screen portion being releasably interlocked with thetrough portion and the trough portion having a resiliently yieldableside wall part assisting in maintaining the screen portion locked inposition.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of a roof gutterconstructed in accord with my invention will become readily apparentfrom the ensuing detailed description, considered in conjunction withthe accompanying drawing forming a part thereof wherein:

FIG. 1 is a view in transverse section showing the manner'in which aroof gutter of my invention is installed;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view, partly in section, of the novel gutter ofFIG. 1, certain parts being broken away for ease of illustration;

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view of a modified form of gutterconstructed in accord with my invention;

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view of another form of gutterconstructed in accord with my invention; and

FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional view of still another form of gutteraccording to my invention.

FIG. 1 shows a gutter of my invention, generally designated 1, installedin position adjacent the roof of a building, the gutter being afiixed tothe facia board 2 covering the rafters 3 for receiving water drainingfrom the roof shingles 4.

Looking now at the embodiment of FIG. 2, the gutter 1 comprises agenerally channel-shaped trough portion having a rear side wall 6, afront side wall 6'. and a bottom wall 7. In accord with my invention thetrough portion is an integral member of a reinforced thermosettingplastic and can be extruded, molded or formed. A polyester resinimpregnated with fiberglass rovings is particularly suitable for thispurpose, and it will be appreciated that by using such material acontoured design such as the horizontal fluttings on the front wall 6'is readily provided if desired. The channel-shaped trough portions areformed in sect-ions of a desired length, and where two or more sectionsare used they aresimply butted together in end-to-end relation andcemented together, which operation is readily accomplished.

A significant advantage of the roof gutter of my invention is that, inaddition to being readily formed in sections of a convenient length, itis readily assembled and installed. Thus, a suitable waterproof cementsuch as Phiaxal Latex, #847, made by the Minnesota Mining &Manufacturing Company, is used to cement the sections together at theirabutting edges, and to cement the rear wall 6 of the assembled sectionsto the facia board 2'in the manner shown in FIG. 1.

The use of 'thermosetting. plastic sections cemented together and to thebuilding structure is of primary importance in that it dispenses withthe usual welded metal connections which tend to deteriorate and whichprovide a surface discontinuity at the joint. Also, the use ofnails orspikes is dispensed with in attaching the gutter to the facia board,whereby splitting and subsequent rotting of the facia board is avoided.

Another advantage of a gutter in accord with myinvention resides in thefact that almost any color can be molded therein, whereby the gutter canbe colored to match the exterior color of the building to which it isapplied, and the color will not fade upon exposure to the elements.Also, the gutter of my invention will not corrode and in fact requiresvirtually no maintenance. In addition, it will be appreciated that thefiberglass reinforced thermosetting plastic gutter of my invention has ahigh degree of mechanical strength and toughness, having for example astrength in compression of approximately 50,000 psi, including excellentimpact strength characteristics, whereby ladders and the like can heleaned against my gutter without fear of damaging the same, and wherebyaccidental impacts during assembling and installation of the gutter willnot mar its appearance.

The opposite ends of the gutter are closed by end pieces 8 similarlymade of fiberglass reinforced thermosetting plastic, which are simplybutted against the ends of the assembled channel sections and cementedthereto. Also, the gutter leads to a drain 9 which can be extruded offiberglass reinforced thermosetting plastic and which is simply cementedto the underside of the bottom wall 7 3 which has a cut out portionaligned with the drain opening.

A feature of particular importance in a roof gutter according to myinvention resides in the provision of a protective screen preventing theaccumulation of leaves and other debris on the bottom of the gutter, thescreen preferably also functioning as a reinforcing or strengtheningmember. Thus, referring still to the embodiment of FIG. 2, the innersurface of walls 6 and 6' are formed with spaced shoulder defining beads11 and 11', respectively, which extend longitudinally of the troughportion and are adapted to accommodate therein the opposite side edgeportions of a protective screen 12. Screen 12 may be of any desiredpattern providing the spaced openings 13 therethrough, and preferablyhas at spaced points along its length relatively wide solid sectionsextending thereacross, as shown at 14, to impart added strength thereto.

Screen 12 also is formed of a fiberglass roving reinforced thermosettingplastic, and preferably is of convex form and mounted in the troughportion closely adjacent the top thereof, whereby leaves and otherdebris drifting down onto the gutter will rest on the screen 12 and airpassing through openings 13 and beneath the accumulated leaves thereon,as well as over such leaves, will in due course dry the same and blowthem away from the screen, whereby the gutter channel will remainsubstantially clean and unclogged. The convex curvature of screen 12assists in this action because there is less tendency for wet leaves tocling to the concave surface throughout their complete area, as comparedfor example to a fiat screen surface, and it will be found that theedges of the leaves at least will tend to stay above the screen wherebythe wind will act thereagainst to lift them from the screen and awayfrom the gutter.

The trough portion side walls must be spread apart slightly to permitthe insertion of screen 12 between the ribs 11 and 11'. Only a veryslight spreading apart is needed, and the natural resiliency of thegutter material is such that either side Wall will readily yield thedesired amount and then resiliently return and tightly clamp screen 12in position. Thus, the screen snaps over the upper ribs 11 and 11', andis releasably locked in position therebetween by the resilientlyyieldable trough side Walls. The screen thereby comprises a supportingstructural component of the gutter, and with the trough member defines agutter of box beam construction which resists warping, buckling andtwisting.

It should be noted that screen 12, in addition to protecting the troughagainst clogging, laterally reinforces the trough side walls adjacentthe top of the trough, and lessens any chance of damage thereto as whena ladder is leaned thereagainst. It is felt that ribs 11 and 11' alsotend to strengthen the gutter in this respect.

FIG. 3 shows a modified form of gutter according to my invention whereinthe gutter and screen are of integral one piece construction providing agenerally channelshaped trough portion defined by rear wall 16, bottomwall 17 and front wall 18. Front wall 18 is formed adjacent its upperedge to provide a resilient hinge section 19 and extends therebeyond toprovide a convex screen portion 20 across the top of the trough portion.Screen portion 20 terminates in an upturned flange part 21 adapted tointerfit with a part 22 of inverted channel shape formed along the upperedge of rear wall 16 to releasably interlock the screen and troughportions.

The resilient hinge 19 normally biases projection 21 of screen 20tightly into part 22 on rear wall 16. However, being of a resilientnature hinge 19 will yield and permit screen 20 to be depressed into thetrough whereby upon spreading side walls 16 and 18 apart screen 20 will,upon being released, spring upwardly out of the trough.

Here again, a protective screen is provided across the top of the guttertrough, which screen also serves as a brace member laterally reinforcingthe gutter along its top portion. N

4 FIG. 4 shows still another modification wherein there is provided achannel-shaped trough portion defined by the rear wall 16, the bottomwall 17' and the front wall 18. A screen 20' of convex curvature has oneend 23 upturned and cemented or welded to the rear wall 16', itsopposite end 24 being upturned and adapted to engage within a part 25 ofinverted channel shape formed along the upper edge of front wall 18'.Screen 25 is so formed that its natural resiliency urges it toward theposition thereof shown in broken lines in FIG. 4, with front wall 18'being sufiiciently resilient to be expanded to the position shown inbroken lines whereupon screen 25 can be depressed and when the parts arereleased thepart 24 of screen 25 will project into the part 25 of frontwall 18'. Here again, the protective screen also serves as a reinforcingmember across the top of the gutter.

FIG. 5 shows still another modification wherein, as in the modificationof FIG. 3, the entire gutter is of one piece construction. In this form,the gutter has a substantially channel-shaped trough portion formed bythe rear wall 27, bottom wall 28, and front wall 29. However, in thisform of the invention front wall 9 curves upwardly from bottom wall 28and then across the top of the trough portion, terminating in anupstanding part 30 which, due to the natural resiliency of front wall29, projects into a part 31 of inverted channel shape formed along theupper edge of rear wall 27. That portion of front wall 29 which liesacross the top of the gutter trough is formed to provide a convex screenportion 32, whereby again there is provided a screen structurefunctioning both as a protective and as a reinforcing member positionedacross the top of the gutter.

The modifications shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 preferably are made of afiberglass reinforced thermosetting plastic, as in the embodiment ofFIG. 2. Alternatively, if desired these constructions could be formedfrom galvanized steel, copper or the like, while still retaining theadvantage of my protective and reinforcing screen structure. 7

Also, while I presently prefer to use a fiberglass reinforcedthermosetting plastic, I also contemplate the use of a suitablethermoplastic material, and the use of a non-reinforced plasticmaterial.

Therefore, it is clearly apparent that my invention fully accomplishesthe aforesaid objects. While only a limited number of forms of myinvention are disclosed herein, my invention is not necessarily limitedto the details thereof and is to be defined by the appended claims.

Having fully disclosed and completely described my invention, togetherwith its mode of operation, what I claim as new is:

1. A roof gutter comprising, an elongated chamelshaped trough memberformed of an internally reinforced thermosetting plastic material, meansdefining substantially parallel rib means extending longitudinally ofsaid trough member on the inside upper surface of each of the oppositeside walls thereof, and a transversely convex reinforcing and protectivescreen of internally reinforced thermosetting plastic material extendingacross the top of said trough member with the opposite side edgeportions of said screen engaged between said rib means, at least one ofsaid trough member side walls resiliently yielding to enable said screento snap into position between said rib means and be removed therefrom,said trough member side walls normally tightly clamping said screentherebetween in laterally reinforcing relation thereto whereby saidscreen normally comprises a supporting structural component of saidgutter and defines with said trough member a gutter of box beamconstruction.

2. A roof gutter comprising, an elongated and generally channel-shapedtrough member having opposite side wall parts, means definingsubstantially parallel shoulders extending generally longitudinally ofsaid trough member on the inner wall surface of the upper portion ofeach side wall part thereof, and a reinforcing and protective screen oftransversely convex form' extending across the upper portion of saidtrough member with the opposite side edge portions of said screenengaged between said shoulders in laterally reinforcing relation to saidside wall parts, at least one of said side Wall parts being resilientlyyieldable to enable said side Wall parts to be spread apart suficientlyto permit insertion of said screen between said shoulders and removal ofsaid screen therefrom, said side wall parts normally tightly clampingsaid screen in position between said shoulders whereby said screennormally comprises a supporting structural component of said gutter anddefines with said trough member a gutter of box beam construction.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS sesame6 Babeoek Mar. 5, 1901 Vogel Oct. 31, 1905 Feyler Mar. 31, 1908 FeylerMar. 9, 1909 Kenny Nov. 2, 1909 Daniels June 7, 1910 Hyke Apr. 8, 1913Wheeler Jan. 24, 1928 Westlake Oct. 3, 1939 Roe Dec. 9, 1947 SteinmanJune 27, 1950 Lake Apr. 13, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Aug. 20,1874 Great Britain Dec. 20, 1950

